I woke up in the rain.
I sat up and groaned. I had been lying or now sitting naked in the middle of a disaster zone.
Scorched earth around me.
I quickly took stock of my physical condition. Even doing this made me wince and nauseous. I was feeling dull aches and pain all over my body. It was like I had several day-old bruises from head to foot. Blinking and looking around, my vision seemed normal. I was amazed I could see after remembering some of my HUD messages.
The only reason I was alive was because of my freebie skill!
It’s okay, I’ll be better soon.
I had no real idea what happened at the end there; my mind was not really working on processing events as much as avoiding shutting down.
I was butt naked except for the collar. Not a good look. Some discomfort came from the four empty canisters and potion bottles I had been lying on. They lived up to their indestructible reputation.
I vomited. It was fear, adrenalin crash and the disgusting stench of charred flesh and corruption around me.
My pistols were a ruined mess, broken and almost unrecognisable.
Gradually, my senses stabilised, and I began to take stock of my surroundings.
The Lair Stone was no longer the giant obelisk that had been. It was a small stone cube around the size of a tissue box. The stone looked pitted and still radiated a sense of malice and Chaos.
I got another set of undergarments from my inventory and put them on. I was definitely not a nudist. Being in the woods with everything flapping in the breeze felt weird.
I cautiously approached the Lair Stone.
Covenbour Timberland Lair Stone Chaos Node. Tier 4 (Deactivated).
Do you wish to take ownership? Y/N
"NO"
I picked it up and put it in my inventory. Swift Pockets: Precision Stowage ensured that it was placed well away from other items. I had no real idea if the concept of cross-contamination was a thing. I was just keen to keep the damn stone away from everything else in there.
I returned to my tent, which was still standing.
Some of my inventory clothes were unsuitable for a tramp through the forest, but I didn’t have much choice since my tactical clothing seemed to have disintegrated. At least I had the under-armour. I double-checked for any other Legion clothing, but all of my tactical combat gear was gone. Dissolved, I assumed, by the beast's stomach acid. At least I had some other clothes that fit and were comfortable. Time to check the notifications I could.
Over the last week, I was getting the hang of using my HUD as minimally as it was set, with everything turned off. I could organise and get summaries from it rather than just full logs. I had put it so that I got the full details the first time something new happened. I opted for fewer details for each repeated notification. For now, I was only getting essential announcements.
Quest Updated - Quest Completed.
HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETED: Event: Defeat the Chaos Incursion Tier 4.
Difficulty: RARE/EPIC Time Frame: 1 Day
The reward for success: credits, experience, renown, title, and items.
Defeat the Incursion
Return Lair Stone to Outpost Store for reward.
DEFEATED: Minor Fickle Grimclaw (Chaos, Tier 2) x 323
Experience Awarded: 40 x 100% contribution bonus: 12920 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 10 credits x 100% contribution bonus. 3230 Cr.
Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma awarded.
DEFEATED: Major Fickle Grimclaw (Chaos, Tier 3) x 247
Experience Awarded: 80 x 100% contribution bonus: 21920 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 20 credits x 100% contribution bonus. 5480 Cr.
Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma awarded.
DEFEATED: Rare Grimclaw (Chaos, Tier 4) x 2
Experience Awarded: 1000 x 100% contribution bonus: 2000 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 200 credits x 100% contribution bonus. 400 Cr.
Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma awarded.
DEFEATED: Rare Major Giant Grimclaw Serpent (Chaos, Tier 4)
Experience Awarded: 3000 x 100% contribution bonus: 3000 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 1200 credits x 100% contribution bonus. 1200 Cr.
Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma awarded.
323 Tier 2 Chaos Trophy added to your inventory.
274 Tier 3 Chaos Trophy added to your inventory. 2 Tier 4 Chaos Trophy added to your inventory.
874 Common Minor, Fickle Grimclaw claws, added to your inventory.
372 Common Minor, Fickle Grimclaw pelt, added to your inventory. Excellent Quality
720 Common Minor, Fickle Grimclaw pelt, added to your inventory. Poor Quality
781 Common Minor Fickle Grimclaw steaks added to your inventory.
22 Major Fickle Grimclaw claws have been added to your inventory.
147 Major Fickle Grimclaw pelt added to your inventory. Excellent Quality
202 Major Fickle Grimclaw pelt added to your inventory. Poor Quality
183 Major Fickle Grimclaw steaks added to your inventory.
4 Rare Grimclaw claws have been added to your inventory.
1 Rare Grimclaw pelt added to your inventory.
3 Rare Grimclaw steaks have been added to your inventory.
I still needed to learn the difference between major, minor, and rare. Just another thing to ask Tasar.
LEVEL UP.
Congratulations. You are now Level? Experience required to level? is. Resolve your fugitive nature to level up completely.
Stat points are automatically allocated.
All stats are locked at 5 until the Incarceration Collar is removed, when stats will revert to their total. You may continue to accumulate stats and experience. Note: Experience level is capped at level 9.
You may gain further experience, but it will be banked until you resolve your fugitive nature.
Title Awarded: Rare Monster Slayer
First in the realm to defeat a Rare Chaos beast singlehandedly.
+5 to all stats.
Monsters of a lower tier than you may be susceptible to your fear aura.
Title Awarded: Butcher of Chaos.
Defeat over 500 agents of Chaos in a single incursion. Singlehandedly.
+ 5 to all stats. You do more damage to agents of Chaos.
Powerful Agents of Chaos may seek you out.
Title Awarded: Forerunner.
Be first in the realm to achieve one stat over 300.
+10% of all stats. People notice you.
Title Awarded: Collector 2:
Be first in the realm to achieve 10 Titles.
You now have 11.
Wow.
Save Recording.
Recording Saved. 4 Hours 22 mins. Highlights 3 Mins.
I cursed not having my notifications fully enabled. I really wanted to see my stats. I had no idea how I survived. Did my luck have anything to do with this? I was so getting my coin back from Sarah when I saw her next.
Damn, this time compression. I’d be gone for like a month, and for her, it would be just a weekend. I’d have all this ‘I missed you’ bull going on and she would be like ‘Hey, good to see you.’
Shit. Just more crap to deal with on top of all this System stuff.
It was time to return to the Outpost to hand in some quests. They were going to be worried about me.
I packed up my tent. It was much harder to stuff it back. Ultimately, I just shoved it unpacked into my inventory since it took up pretty much the same room either way. Maybe I would take on the Legion training and get it sorted. I could imagine the recruitment interview, "Why do you want to be a Legionnaire?" "So I can stuff this frickin tent into its bag, Sir!"
It took me only a few hours to backtrack and return to the Outpost now that I knew roughly where I was going. I put my weapons in my inventory, remembering that Roy would just be crappy about them again, all ‘No Da, he wouldn’t shoot us. He was just showing us."
When I got there, it looked like nothing had changed. But I don’t think anything ever changed here. It was as if they were stuck in the 1800s after some mad steampunk scientist had visited. The same people were in the same fields. Well, they looked the same from a distance. Some nodded, and when they did, I nodded back.
Inside the wall were the same dirt street, dusty buildings and freaky horses. People were looking out dusty windows. I felt like a gunslinger walking into town to a showdown, except I was kind of the hero now, returning after finishing a significant quest, so maybe I was a hero. I walked into the hostel/tavern, the Desert’s Edge Outpost.
It had not changed much. It was so cool. I will never forget this place where I went from being a naive young adult to someone with a vision to be someone with purpose. This was one of those moments when it was as if destiny had set the path, and it was good. A moment that defines you. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to help people. I wanted to fight against Chaos, not just for the adrenaline of the fight, but because, if truth be told, the buzz of gaining levels and skills. Every positive notification, every increase in stats, and each level gave me satisfaction.
If fighting Chaos was what it took, that was fine, but I wanted to get stronger to help people. Not just my sister, Amy, needed saving. I know she could be a cold bitch, but she was not psychotic or evil. Even if she was, she was my sister, and family meant a lot, even if you didn’t see eye to eye on everything. From the little I understood, all of Earth needed saving from psychos, like her boss and aliens. Crap, that was a big job.
I walked into the Inn. Loyd was in the same spot. Not one other customer. I guess everyone worked hard all day.
He looked up, surprised. "Hey, kid, I didn’t expect to see you again. I thought those critters were going to eat you."
I smiled, "Thanks for the vote of confidence. They almost did. I am here to hand in the stone and collect the reward."
He looked a bit nervous. "Look, kid. It would be best if you just left town, right? There is another township about a week's travel. We can lend you a slow-fast wagon and supplies."
What the crap was a slow-fast wagon? Why was he being so cold? What, where was this coming from? "What about the Quest and the rewards? I’ll use the outpost stone and be going if you need me to."
He sighed, "We just asked you to go look. I didn’t give you a real quest …."
"I got one, a hidden quest." I shared it with him, being a pro who knew how to do that and all.
HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETED: Defeat the Chaos Incursion Tier 4.
Difficulty: EPIC Time Frame: 1 Day
The reward for success: credits, experience, renown, and title.
Defeat the Incursion and return Lair Stone to the nearest Outpost Store.
"Aww shit, kid, no way. You did us a solid favour. Look, you know how we said we don’t want trouble, crap, I feel bad for... "
"I’ll take it from here, Loyd, we will make sure you get paid", a rough, guttural voice said with a British Accent. That was a giveaway that the voice was being translated for me. I looked around. Crap in my hand if a big bloody orc didn’t come through the saloon doors.
I looked from the orc to Loyd, and he just shrugged " Sorry, Kid, he arrived after you. He has all the kids somewhere and will let them go if we hand you over. It ain't hard if I have to choose between you and Fossie. I’m sorry, but we are just farmers; family is important. He took Roy, Earl, Jimmy and Zac."
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Ahh, Earl, that was Dipshit’s name. Crap, Crap, Crap. Mind you, I would choose my kids over some random stranger too if I had kids, family was important.
Hidden Quest Received: Be a hero (1) Difficulty: DEADLY
Time Frame: NOW
Reward for success: credits, experience, renown, varies.
Defeat the bounty hunter, free the kids and don’t die.
Fuck you, thanks, system, a deadly quest.
It made me feel okay about all this. I did want to be a hero, and the system was telling me to be one.
I activated my non-class skill, "Charm". It came from a performer class, and I was certainly no performer, so I hoped for the best and hoped that my charisma was high enough.
I looked over at the orc, “Look, sir, I just came to town. I ain't done nothin'. Me Ma and Pa died in the woods, so I have been livin alone. I just came in to see me friends. I don’t know you and my Pa said don’t go with strangers. You look strange." What is the actual frick? I was rambling. It was a combination of my bad acting and my skill. I must suck as an actor if the skill could not help me.
The being I was calling him an orc looked like an orc. Not that I had ever seen one before, but I had seen the beginning of the Fellowship of the Ring. He was an ugly orc—one of the big ones with squat and broad shoulders, not the sneaky, sly ones. The orc had grey and green skin, wicked curved tusks and piggy eyes. His hands were about the size of my head, and he was dressed in a business suit. It was ruined by the pants being cut off mid-thigh. I could understand that it would be difficult to get fitted pants with the size of his leg muscles. Leg day was every day for this guy.
He had piercings all through his snout, ears, and rings on his fingers. I was betting he had big golden chains, too, to complete his bling. His boots were not nice leather boots but rather combat stomping boots.
I activated my Identify skill.
Omaghed of the Renegade Serpent Tribe Tier 2 Bounty Hunter Level 23. Strength Wanted Bounty available: Dead or Alive (Murhog Slaver).
"Look, kid, you seem nice enough, but when a bounty is active, as a bounty hunter, we know when we see the mark. We have tracker skills. They tell me you are it."
Well, crap. Damn Tasar. "How much am I worth? I’ll pay you and make it worthwhile to look the other way!"
He laughed. "This job is costing big time already, punching into a corpo space, dealing with time dilation. I had to wait in the barn for nearly a week! You are coming with me, and we can sort out you paying me to look the other way later. Nothing can make up for that week in the barn."
I shook my head. "Nope." I want to think that I sounded calmer than I felt. I saw Lloyd’s eyes widen.
Omaghed continued, "I got this here detonator; it goes boom if I let it go. Guess where all the kids are."
I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders.
He paused, waiting for me.
He scowled, "In the goddamn barn, you moron. You come with me, and I give it to Loyd here. As soon as you come with me."
I was acting full-out, punching the skill to its max, going for broke and breaking a leg, "As long as ya can sort it out, I’ll come quiet like. Let my friends go first, though. I don’t know you and my Pa tol’ me before he died not to trust strangers."
"Soon as I put some cuffs on you, I’ll set em fee, on my honour."
Crap, crap, crap. Could I take a chance that the kids were safe? The Quest said to defeat the bounty hunter and free the kids. I looked from Omaghed to Loyd and smiled. Loyd’s eyes flicked nervously to Omaghed, and he shook his head slightly.
That was it. The title of the Quest was a hero. I was pretty sure I could take him with one shot. However, he might be a bit tougher than a Tier 2 cat. I didn't know about the cuffs, though. As soon as Loyd had the detonator, I could get to work.
The orc was Tier 2. I could take him.
I was still acting - worst actor ever. Glad wherever I was didn’t have rotten tomatoes.
"Ok." I put my hands out and walked towards him.
Loyd came around the bar.
Omaghed cuffed my arms and legs. With a smirk, he tossed the detonator to Loyd. "Suckers, I may be a scumbag, but I don’t kill kids unless they deserve it. They are out in the barn behind the last field. Might be tied up and a little hungry."
Loyd caught the device and ran outside.
Crap. This was it.
"Omaghed of the Renegade Serpent Tribe, you have just made your last mistake. You're coming with me dead or alive," I said in my most intimidating voice. I wanted to sound cool. I was channelling Robocop or even Steve McQueen.
Omaghed scowled at me and made to grab the cuffs to drag me outside, "How did you know my name? We gonna find out who has been talking", I dodged back. I couldn’t do too much with my legs cuffed.
"Not today. I am unsure how I claim the bounty on you, but I’ll enjoy spending the money, maybe buying everyone here a drink or two." I looked around the empty bar, which ruined my cool line. I’d had enough.
Eyes of Fury.
Rather than exploding his head like I hoped it would, a transparent blue shield popped around him. It went from blue to smoky grey, then vanished with a pop.
Omaghed scowled at me, "You rich kids. Low-level punks always think you can one-shot people with your high-level bought skills. Now, you wasted your best shot. Broke my damn shield. You are all mine... I will enjoy bruising you up, wasting that shield; Tier 3 shields, they ain't cheap, you know. I might rip your implants out and sell them. Maybe even use them myself."
He moved forward.
Eyes of Fury.
This time, his head did explode. Tier 5 skills were so OP.
DEFEATED Omaghed of the Renegade Serpent Tribe Tier 2
Experience Awarded: 500 x 100% contribution bonus: 500 experience.
System Credits Awarded: 1000 credits x 100% contribution bonus. 1000 Cr.
Credits returned due to fugitive nature.
Karma Penalty Applied.
Do you wish to loot Omaghed of the Renegade Serpent Tribe? Y/N?
If you choose not to loot this foe, his possessions will be returned to his next of kin.
"No"
Positive Karma Awarded. You should feel happy about contributing to a more positive universe.
Pending Bounty. Submit a recording to Bounty Hunters Guild when you are a member.
You will have to pay back fees from now to avoid possible murder charges.
This was messed up. Tasar had a lot to answer for. I needed to hand in my quests and then get out of there. It was beginning not to be as fun as fighting chaos beasts.
I staggered. I nearly threw up. I had just killed someone. I could feel my heart beating. I looked at the corpse as the blood pumped out of the neck.
I threw up all over the bar. I made a minimal effort to clean that up, and after a drink to clean my disgusting mouth out, I grabbed the cuffs.
Thunder Grip.
I could now control both the sound and strength, so I didn’t have to use full power all the time — to break the chains that held the cuffs off my arms and legs. I put them in my inventory.
I ignored the mess, walked to the Store Stone, and touched the palm rests.
The outpost shop is activated, but there is no access to personal shopping.
A 15% surcharge for non-residents and beings of low renown.
You can access the shop, bounty rewards, bounty board, and messages.
No AI was detected. Voice commands only.
Please say one of the shop, rewards, board, or messages.
"Rewards"
Do you wish to redeem 323 Tier 2 Chaos Tokens to complete the Quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (2) Y/N?
"YES"
Quest Updated Quest Completed.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (2) x 323. Difficulty: Normal.
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 2 or higher Chaos Trophy.
Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store.
323 Tier 2 Chaos Trophies have been removed from your inventory and awarded 40 x 323 (12920) Credits.
Credits returned due to frozen assets. Awarded 40 x 323 (12920) experience points.
Awarded 20 x 323 (6460) renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost.
Karmic bonus awarded for redeeming Chaos Trophy.
You have increased the positive energy of the universe. You should feel good about this.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (3) Repeatable Difficulty: Hard
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 3 or higher Chaos trophy. Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store. This Quest is repeatable until Level 20.
Do you wish to redeem 274 Tier 3 Chaos Tokens to complete the Quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (3) Y/N?
"YES"
Updated Quest Completed.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (3) x 274.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 3 or higher Chaos Trophy. Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store.
274 Tier 3 Chaos Trophies have been removed from your inventory and awarded 80 x 274 (21820) Credits.
Credits returned due to frozen assets.
Awarded 80 x 274 (21820) experience points.
Awarded 40 x 274 (5480) renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost.
Karmic bonus awarded for redeeming Chaos Trophy.
You have increased the positive energy of the universe. You should feel good about this.
Tutorial Quest Received: Collect a Chaos Bounty (4)
Repeatable Difficulty: Epic
Time Frame: None
The reward for success: credits, experience, and renown.
Collect a Tier 4 or higher Chaos trophy. Redeem for bounty reward at any Outpost System Store. This Quest is repeatable until Level 20.
Do you wish to redeem 2 Tier 4 Chaos Tokens to complete the Quest: Collect a Chaos Bounty (4) Y/N?
"YES"
2 Tier 4 Chaos Trophy has been removed from your inventory and awarded 4200 x 2 (8200) Credits. Credits returned due to frozen assets. Awarded 8400 x 2 (16800) experience points.
Awarded 400 x 2 (800) renown with Desert’s Edge Outpost.
Karmic bonus awarded for redeeming Chaos Trophy. You have increased the positive energy of the universe. You should feel good about this.
Do you wish to redeem Tier 4 Lair Stone to complete the HIDDEN QUEST RECEIVED: Defeat the Chaos Incursion Tier 4?
"YES"
1 Tier 4 Lair Stone has been removed from your inventory.
Awarded 8000 Credits. Credits returned due to frozen assets. Awarded 8000 experience points.
Awarded 4000 renown with Empire
Karmic bonus awarded for redeeming Chaos Trophy. You have increased the positive energy of the universe. You should feel good about this.
Title Awarded: Incursion Master.
Be first in the realm to close a Chaos Incursion.
+ 1 to stats.
Title Awarded Epic Incursion Master:
Be first in the realm to close an epic Chaos Incursion.
+ 5 to stats.
Title Awarded: Defender of the Empire.
Close an incursion without help from the Legion.
+500 renown with Empire.
You are now Friendly with Desert’s Edge Outpost. People know who you are.
Additional quests are available.
You are now Neutral with the Empire. You may travel within the Empire.
Quests available. You are now Friendly with the empire.
LEVEL UP.
Congratulations. You are now Level ?.
Experience required to level? Is ?.
Resolve your fugitive nature to level up.
All stats are locked at 5 until the Incarceration Collar is removed when stats revert to the total. You may continue to accumulate stats and experience. Note. The experience level is capped at level 9. You may gain further expertise, but it will be banked until you resolve your fugitive nature.
I finished with the rewards and had forgotten about Omaghed’s corpses. I even managed to ignore the exploded head. At times, I was becoming concerned about my desensitisation to violence. It was far from what I would have been okay with not long ago. Could I blame playing video games? I'm not sure, but I bet someone somewhere would.
Loyd came back in and looked at me with a solemn face. "Look, sorry, kid, it was nothing personal."
I sighed. I knew that most people would make the same choice. I would have. Family mattered. I didn’t have it in me to be self-righteous or even angry. I was not even sure if he was real or a system puppet. Fuck, this was all messed up, was I supposed to get angry at stuff?
"No problems. I just … finished my quests. I guess I’ll be going."
"Well, the thing is, the kids want to thank you and, um, since you seemed to be a genuine questor, we thought …."
The following week was a bunch of annoyance and fun, and I guess I did start to make friends. Roy was still a Dipshit with a capital D. I did get the smackdown on him a couple of times before he settled down. Earl was just his lapdog, and Jimmy, well, Jimmy was the smart one. It wasn’t just the glasses. If I could have helped them, I would have, but I had no Credits. I did help nearly everyone else in Desert Edge, though. I found things in the well for Loyd’s wife, Rose. I learned his last name was Tucker. Flossie followed me around, which was both pleasant and weird. I think that Roy was jealous. Ida, the oldest person in the village, who everyone called "sharpshooter", needed wood chopped. So I chopped wood. I had no idea why it was a quest and no one else could do it. Some desert lizard creatures were raiding the cow-like beasts, so they asked if I could move them on. That wasn't very pleasant.
I went from one end of the region to the next and completed over a dozen quests. I am sure Loyd was responsible for them all. I even found out where the rats came from for the stew. They were just giant rats that lived in the desert, eating and scavenging. Despite it tasting nice, I didn't eat anymore after that. In the end, I had had enough.
Throughout all this, I kept up with my weights, and at night, I used the Intelligence and Wisdom kits that Tasar had provided.
It was hard work, but it was fun, but eventually, it was time to head back and get my training sorted. I ate well. Rose and Norma - Harley’s wife and Roy’s mum fed me so well I would explode. The worst part of all this was I could not get any credits. My reputation was Honored, and my karma went through the roof. On top of all this, I was lifting weights, doing agility and doing my mental puzzles. I hoped Tasar would be happy, it was a lot of effort, and pretty annoying.
The night before I left, the Outpost had a feast for me. We all gathered outdoors around a bonfire. It was a thank you and sorry feast. The women of the Outpost had set up a tent with food and drinks. A small band played weird instruments. They managed a lively tune, so by the time the sun went down, there was music, dancing, laughter, and loads of food and drink.
Flossie taught me a few dances, and I caught Roy and Earl sneaking some ale. I had a pint with them, and we laughed. It got awkward at the end when Flossie kissed my cheek to thank me for saving them before running off, and a drunk Roy punched my nose for kissing Flossie. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t hit him back. I was leaving, and I was sure she didn’t like him. I sighed; Mike would have some idea about what was going on there. I just stormed off and went to sleep.
The next day, I set out, with Loyd giving me some gifts and telling me to open them later. I set off back over the path that led me to the Outpost. I was sad to be going but glad.
It was defiantly time to move on, and I was really pissed at Tasar.